GI disorders Flashcards
Cirrhosis - Later Clinical Manifestations

Cirrhosis - most common causes
- Alcoholism
- Hepatitis B & C
- Hepatotoxic meds
Cirrhosis - patho
Infiltration + accumulation of fatty deposits - fibrotic changes - destroy hepatocytes = widespread scar formation - decreased liver function - obstructed blood flow - increased portal pressure
Cirrhosis - S/s early
Anorexia
Generalized fatigue
Abdominal pain
GI symptoms - N+V, diarrhea
Cirrhosis - S/s - disease progression
Weight loss
Bleeding
Jaundice
Ascites
Esophageal varices
Portal HTN
Telengiectasis (spider angiomas)
Cirrhosis - Jaundice (Icterus) - causes & S/s
Obstructed billary ducts
Liver cannot breakdown old RBCs
- Steatorrhea - white, clay color stool - bile needed to break down fat
- Dark urine (maple syrup) - kidneys filter elevated billirubin from blood
- Pruritus
Cirrhosis - Ascites - patho
increased hydrostatic pressure from portal HTN → blood proteins leak into peritoneum; liver unable to synthesize protein → low blood albumin; fluid shifts out of vascular
system into peritoneum → third-spacing occurs; liver cannot metabolize aldosterone → kidneys
retain Na & water; increased vascular volume → further leakage of fluid into abdominal cavity
Cirrhosis - Ascites - S/s
Weight gain
Abdominal (umbilical) hernias
Abdominal distention
Cirrhosis - Ascites - TX
- Low sodium diet
- Aldosterone antagonist - Spironolactone (Aldactone)
- Paracentesis - symptomatic relief - sitting up or side lying ; suprapubic - empty bladder ; Monitor - VS, weight (pre and post), I+O, electrolytes
- Refractory ascites - TIPS - catheter and shunt within hepatic system - connects to the jugular
Cirrhosis - Portal HTN - patho
increased pressure from fibrotic changes → back-up of blood in GIsystem → splenomegaly; veins in esophagus, stomach, intestines, abdominal wall & rectum
dilate → esophageal varices, prominent abdominal veins, hemorrhoids, ascites.
Cirrhosis - Esophageal varices
Patho - thinner, less elastic esophageal veins unable to compensate for increasedpressure → pressure increases, varices enlarge, begin to bleed
- Frank hematemesis - vomitting blood
- Coffee-ground emesis
- Melena, (black tarry stools)
Cirrhosis - Esophageal varices and portal HTN - TX
- Reduce portal HTN - beta-blockers + nitrates
- EGD + banding or ligation
- EGD + Sclerotherapy
- Acute !!! - vasoconstrictive meds - IV - Vasopressin or octreotide
- Sengstaken-Blakemore or Minnesota tube - Airway !!!- pt intubated, on the vent, sedated
Esophageal varices - IV Vasopressin vs IV Octreotide
- IV Vasopressin - systemic - can worsen portal HTN
- IV Octreotide (Sandostatin) - specific - constricts just GI area
Cirrhosis - Hepatic Encephalopathy - patho
Elevated ammonia & toxins in blood
- Ammonia - by-product of digestion of dietary & blood proteins
- Ammonia absorbed from intestinal tract not metabolized by diseased liver
- Ammonia accumulates in blood
a. Altered mental states: Confusion → coma
b. Asterixis - flapping tremor of hands - High protein diet & GI bleeding - aggravate condition (more protein)
Cirrhosis - Hepatic Encephalopathy - TX
- Lactulose
- Low protein diet ; early in cirrhois - high protein
- Neomycin - antibiotic - decrease bacterial flora needed to breakdown protein
Lactulose
Promote excretion of ammonia ; tx of constipation
Improvement in mental status
Expect 2-3 soft stools/day
Watch for diarrhea
Coma - NG, rectal
Cirrhosis DX
- LABS: Liver function panel, serum ammonia, clotting studies, protein + albumin, bilirubin , CBC, H+H, vitamin deficiencies
- CT, MRI, US
- Liver biopsy - Definitive !!! - supine, arm elevated behind head , US guided, between ribs - BLEEDING - stay for 6 hrs, H+H compared
Liver Functions
- _ Metabolism :_Glucose, fat, proteins
- _Conversion: _Ammonia to urea
- _Detoxification: _Drugs, alcohol, toxins
- _Breakdown of RBCs: _Formation of bile
- Production:** **Clotting factors, blood proteins, enzymes **
Hepatitis A (HAV) - causes
Transmitted by the fecal-oral route
1. Non-life threatening, usually self-limiting
HAV - Prevention
- Good hand washing
- Avoid contaminated food & water
- If exposed, receive IgG within 2 weeks
- Get vaccinated (HAVRIX & VAQTA) if:
a. traveling to areas with high incidence
b. living in crowded conditions
c. working in correctional facilities, day-care centers, long-tem care
Hepatitis B (HBV) - causes
Transmitted through blood & serum
- Unprotected sex
- Sharing needles or through accidental needle sticks
- Blood transfusions before 1992
- Hemodialysis
- Maternal-fetal route
- Cosmetic procedure like tattooing & body piercing
HBV - Prevention
- Avoid exposure to blood & body fluids
- Follow standard precaution
- Use needless systems
- Get Vaccinated - 3 doses - 1st; 2nd 1 mo later; 3rd 2 mo after 2nd.
Hepatitis C (HCV) - causes
Transmitted blood to blood
- Sharing needles - illicit drug users have highest incidence
- Receiving blood products or organ transplant before 1992
- Unsanitary tattoo or piercing equipment
- Sharing tools for snorting cocaine
HCV - Prevention and labs
Education of high-risk groups
- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
- Recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA)
Liver biopsy